Re: Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today?

I picked up a Tyrconnell nas recently.

Because it is a single malt without any ostentatious peat or barrel finishes, somehow I got it in my mind that it would be a good comparison to a watered Glenlivet Nadurra - basic Irish Malt versus basic Scotch flavors.

That idea didn't really hold up, as the Nadurra is really its own wonderful creature, but the Tyrconnell is quite good as its own malt: a little malty (duh!), a little sweet pear flavor, and a taste that starts sweet and finishes dry. It's quite good, but more than a bit faint and mild at its 40&#37;abv. I'd love to have a taste of it not so heavily diluted.

When the EBSG met up last, one of us remarked on how much it has improved in the last several years. It was fresh and light compared to the Redbreast 12, which I also liked well.

Re: Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today?

We had an unseasonably warm and thus rolling-misty night, which reminded me somewhat of the image of a Scottish moor. I decided only one thing would fill the bill: Springbank.

I last had Springbank a decade ago, when they were selling more age-expressions than Glenfarclas does. They're just down to a 10YO and a 10YO 100 proof that I could find (the distillery itself is mothballed). so I grabbed the 100 proofer. Fresh, clean, EXACTLY what I wanted.

Also picked up Edradour (sweet, sherry-ish) and Balvenie 10YO Founder's Reserve, which was its usual pleasant self. Jim Murray's Whisky Bible laments that this expression is being killed off, but Binny's seems to have plenty of it. And at 43%, not the 40% in his book.

Re: Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today?

I just posted my weekend shopping over in the general bourbon forum, but one of the bottles was a Penderyn AC single malt Welsh whisky. Aged in bourbon casks and finished in madiera.

Originally Posted by Megawatt

Well how is it? I think that stuff goes for $100 in these parts.

Was with the extended family this past week for Christmas and we finally popped the Penderyn. I found it to be soft, sweet and fruity, maybe best compared with a highland single malt. (??) Kind of like it was the younger sister of the bourbon that we moved on to next. I prefer an Islay style to this, but that's not to say that I didn't enjoy it. We poured the Penderyn as a starter 3 nights in a row. They definitely know how to make whisky.

Re: Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today?

Originally Posted by Megawatt

I put that idea in your head, didn't I? ;-)

My last bottle of the 18 was finished about a month ago and I'd been waffling about getting another one given the price and the other bottle I've wanted to try. Hearing you talk about it got me craving it real bad....